Flexible container



Aug. 10, 1937. H. F. COLVIN FLEXIBLE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 31, 1935Henry)? BY 2 ATTORNEY.

- Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

This invention relates to means and method for closing flexiblecontainers. It relates particularly to closure means and method forcontainers in the form of tubes having relatively thin walls of pliable,yieldable and/or flexible material, such as metal tubes of lead, zinc,alumi num or their alloys, or tubes of non-metals such as celluloid,pyroxylin, other ethers and esters of cellulose, or hornlike materialshaving approximately the physical properties of cellulosic materials. I

The closure and method of this invention are adaptable particularly tocontainers of cylindrical shape, or of other shapes but having acylindrical wall at the endwhich is to be closed. The container may havean independent aperture for the dispensing of its contents or theclosure member may be perforated to form the dispensing means as well'as the closure means. This in- 0 vention is primarily concerned with theeifective locking, preferably liquid-tight, engagement between thetubular body of the container and its closure after the supply ofcontent material has beenintroduced into the container.

While the clip type of closure is employed generally with satisfactionon metal collapsible tubes, this'type of closure has not always beensatisfactory for cellulosic tubes, and on both met-'- al and non-metaltubes it is sometimes desirable to retain the roundness of the ,end ofthe tube rather than to flatten it with a clip. Heretofore theapplication of circular closures has been attempted, but with littlesuccess, owing'to the difflculty of effectively and permanentlyfastening the same onto such tubular containers.

It is an object of this invention-to provide method and means forefiectively, efliciently and economically producing locking and sealingengagement between a tubular container and its 0 closure.

It is a further object of this invention to pro vide a closure for suchtubes wherein a portion of the tube surface may be clamped against ashoulder on such closure.

A further object of the invention is to provide the closure with meansto increase the gripping of the tube end by the closure.

- While this invention is not restricted to the use of particularmaterials for container or closure, it is especially effective anduseful for nonmetallic containers and metal closures, and by way ofillustration of a preferred form of the invention it will be sodescribed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing I show what I now consider to be a preferredform of the invention, together with other alternate forms, all fallingwithin the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. The'disclosureis not to be regarded as restrictive but rather to illustrate certainembodiments of my invention, which it is understood may take many otherdetail forms.

Referring now to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a tube incorporating my closuremeans. v

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional detail view of a preferred form ofmetallic closure and of the end of a cellulosic tube, before the latteris in looking engagement with the closure.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view of a closure and end of tube inlocking engagement. In this view the closure illustrated incorporatesdispensing means.

Fig. 4 is a partial detail view of a closure with a knurled channelwall.

Fig. 5 is a partial detail view of a closure with a roughened surfacechannel wall.

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional detail view showing a modified form ofclosure; and

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate in fractional sectional detail othermodifiedforms of the invention.

In Figure 1 of the drawing there is disclosed a collapsible seamlesstube or body ill of relatively thin cellulosic material. Body It] mayhave a contracted portion ll having a discharge or dispensing nozzle I2.The other end, as made, is

open, to provide a fllling'oriflce. A suitable cap (not shown) may beprovided for nozzle l2. A bottom element or closure C, of metal, issecured to body III at the filling orifice to complete a form ofcontainer.

Closure C, as shown in Figure 2 in its form before being made fast tothe body l0, comprises a bottom l3, a shoulder portion M the outsidediameter I! of which is substantially the same as the inside diameter ofthe body II), a short cylindrical portion l5 having a diameter smallerthan that of the body hand an outstanding flange portion Is. As theclosure member C is inserted into the open end iii of the tube Hi thisflange l5 serves as a stop against the end of body i0.

The engagement and seal between the closure C and the body In iseffected by rolling or spinning the flange l5 toward the cylindricalportion l5, carrying in with it the outer end l6 of body III, which isthereby clamped over the shoulder 14 of closure C and retained in thechannel formed by the spaced adjacent walls of portions l5, 5. Thedeformation of the end of the tube l0, and its clamping against theshoulder H efiects a tight and permanent engagement.

In Figure 3 the closure C is illustrated in an alternate form,incorporating in itself dispensing holes i2 in the bottom l3. The detailof the closure and tube engagement is the same as in Figure 2, exceptthat in Figure 3 the flange l5 has been spun or rolled into its finalposition.

To assure a tight grip between the wall of the closure and that of thetube, the outer surface of the closure C may be knurled or roughened asshown at It in Figs. 4 and 5.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 alternate forms of closure detail are disclosed.In Figure 6 the closure is illustrated as having its shoulder 28 of alarger diameter than the inside diameter of the body III. The outer end25 of the body may be preformed of larger diameter than the main portionIll, or the end 25 may be expanded to the diameter shown by theinsertion of the closure. The engagement and seal is effected as inFigures 1, 2 and 3, by the spinning or rolling in of flange 21 to pinchthe end of the tube against the wall 26, clamping the tube on theshoulder 28.

In Figure '7 the end of the tube I0 is either preformed to a largediameter or is expanded by the insertion of the closure, which in thiscase has a recessed shoulder 28 against which the tube wall is clampedby the spinning in of the edge 21' of the closure flange 21.

In Figure 8 the end of the tube I0 is either preformed to a largerdiameter or is expanded by the insertion of the closure, which here hasa shoulder formed between the bottom 13 and the cylindrical portion 26.The spinning in of edge 21" of closure flange 21 clamps the tube wallagainst this shoulder.

I desire it understood that the invention is not to be confined to theparticular forms shown and described, the same being merelyillustrative, and that the invention can be carried out in other wayswithout departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore, I claimbroadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities comingwithin the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objectsof my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it isobvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described areonly some of many that can be employed to attain these objects andaccomplish these results. I I

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In an article of the character described, a body having a thin wallof yieldable material, and a closure member having a portion of itsxternal surface of a sizesubstantially the same as that of the inside ofsaid thin wall, said member having another portion of its externalsurface of a size different from the aforesaid size, and

said member having a third portion closed upon said thin wall causingthe inside of said wall to conform to the outside of said secondportion, and causing said wall to be clamped between said second andthird portions of said closure member.

2. In an article of the character described, a cylindrical body having acontracted end and a wall of thin section at the end opposite thereto tobe closed, and a closure for said opposite end, said closure comprisingportions of two different sizes and an outstanding flange, and the Wallbeing over one of said portions and clamped against the other of saidportions by the cl singin of said flange.

3. An article of the character described comprising a container having acontracted end and a thin wall at the other end to be closed, and aclosure member havinga portion,the outside size of which issubstantially the same as the inside size of said wall and an extendingflange portion closedin upon said wall to a size less than the originaloutside size of said wall, whereby said closure member is permanentlyattached to said container. v t

4. An article of the character described comprising a container having acontracted end and a thin wall at the end opposite thereto, and aclosure therefor comprising a bottom portion, a side portion, a shoulderbetween said bottom portion and said side portion, and a flange portionextending from said side portion and closed upon said wall pressing saidwall against said side portion and clamping said wall against saidshoulder whereby said closure is retained upon said container.

5. Ina container, a body having at one end a relatively thin cylindricalwall of yleldablematerial, and a closure for said end, said closurebeing provided with an annular portion having an external surface of asize substantially the same as that of the inside of said wall and beingfurther provided with a cylindrical portion having an external surfaceof a size different from the aforesaid size, the inside of said wallconforming to the outside of said cylindrical and annular portions, saidclosure having a third portion embracing the outside surface of saidwall lockingly engaging the wall with the cylindrical and annularportions of said closure.

6. In a container, a body having at one end a relatively thincylindrical wall made of cellulosic material or material having similarphysical properties, and a metallic closure for said end, said closurebeing provided with an annular portion having an external surface of asize substantially the same as that of the inside of said wall and beingfurther provided with a cylindrical portion having an external surfaceof a size different from the aforesaid size, the inside of said wallconforming to the outside of saidcylindrical and annular portions, saidclosure having a third portion embracing the outside surface of saidwall lockingly engaging the wall with the cylindrical and annularportions of said closure.

7. In a container, a body having at one end a realtively thincylindrical wall, and a closure for said end, said closure beingprovided with an annular portion and a cylindrical portion of dissimilardiameters, the inside of said wall conforming to the outside of saidannular and cylindrical portions, said closure having a third portionembracing the outside of said wall lockingly engaging the wall with thecylindrical portion and against the annular portion of said closure. 1

8. In a container, a body having at one end a relatively thincylindrical wall made of cellulosic material or material having similarphysical properties, and a metallic closure for said end, said closurebeing provided with an annular portion and a cylindrical portion ofdissimilar diameters, the inside of said wall conforming to the outsideof said annular and cylindrical portions, said closure having a thirdportion embracing the outside of said wall lockingly engaging the wallwith the cylindrical portion and against the annular portion of saidclosure.

9. In a container, a body having at one end a contracted part and at itsother end a wall of thin section, and a closure for said end, saidclosure having portions of two diflerent sizes and an outward flange,said wall abutting against one of said portions and clamped at leastagainst the other of said portions by said flange.

10. In a container, a body having at one end a contracted part and atits other end a relatively thin wall made of cellulosic material'ormaterial and said side portion, and a flange portion ex-' tending fromsaid side portion, said wali being between said side portion and saidflange and abutting against said shoulder, said flange being closed uponsaid wall and pressing said wall against said side portion and clampingsaid wall against said shoulder to retain said closure upon said body.

12. In a container, a body having at one end a relatively thincylindrical wall made of cellulosic material or material having similarphysical properties, and a closure for said end, said closure comprisinga bottom portion, an annular side portion, an annular shoulder betweensaid bottom portion and said side portion, and an annular flange portionextending from said side portion, said wall being between said sideportion and said flange and abutting against said shoulder, said flangebeing closed upon said wall and pressing said wall against said sideportion and said shoulder to retain said closure upon said body.

13. In a container, a flexible body having a relatively thin wall and acontracted end, and a closure, said closure having a bottom and adownward-extending annular portion terminating in an upward-extendingouter flange spaced therefrom, producing a channel therebetween. saidbody wall opposite said contracted end being inserted within saidchannel and in locking engagement with the said portion and said flange,

the diameter of the inserted end of said wail being different from thatof the remainder-of said wall, whereby the body and the closure arepermanently held in such engagement.

14. In a container, a flexible tubular body having a contracted end, anda closure, said closure having a bottom for the opposite endof saidbody, an annular channelled portion extending from said bottom, anannular shoulder between said bottom and said channel, the said oppositeend of said body being located between and in clamping engagement withwalls forming said channel, and said body abutting said shoulder bywhich the closure and the body are in looking engagement.

15. In a container, a flexible tube and a contracted end, and a closurefor the opposite end of the tube, said tube and closure being made ofdissimilar material, said closure having a bottom for said tube and adownward-extending annular wall terminating in an upward-extending outerflange spaced therefrom, producing a channel therebetween, said oppositeend of said tube being inserted within said channel and in lookingengagement with the said wall and said flange,

said wall having an annular shoulder against which the said tube abuts,the diameter of'the inserted end of said tube being different from thatof the remainder of said tube, whereby the tube and the closure arepermanently held in such engagement.

16. An article of the character described comprising a container havinga flexible tubular body and acontracted end, and a closure having abottom for the opposite end of said body,,a

downward-extending annular wall terminating in an upward-extending outerflange spaced therefrom, an annularshoulder between said bottom and saidwall, said well and said flange being adapted to hold said opposite endof said body in clamping engagement against said shoulder.

HENRY F. COLVIN.

